Thursday, November 4, 2010

Hezbollah obstructs justice

The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, issued a stern warning on Thursday night against any cooperation with the international tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, putting new pressure on Lebanon’s fragile coalition government.

The speech — delivered in an uncharacteristically quiet and grave manner — went well beyond Hezbollah’s previous statements on the matter, and could make the politically charged tribunal’s work in Lebanon far more difficult. Some of Hezbollah’s domestic political opponents reacted immediately, calling the speech a threat against the state.

The Lebanese authorities have cooperated with the tribunal since it was established. But in recent months reports have circulated that prosecutors are set to indict members of Hezbollah, and Mr. Nasrallah has denounced the investigation as a tool of Israel and the United States.

Hezbollah assassinated Lebanon’s prime minister, used the resulting turmoil to force its way into government, and now dismisses the internationally sanctioned criminal investigation of its terrorist activity as a tool of Israel and the United States.

Ironically, and for some reason I will never understand, many in the U.S. media side with terrorist Hezbollah, rather than with international justice.

About Me

Lifelong Democrat; Former president, Broward County, Florida Young Democrats; Former member, Broward County, Florida Democratic Executive Committee; Former city commissioner, City of Cooper City, Florida; Graduate, The University of Florida; Practicing attorney, Miami, Florida; Member, The Florida Bar; Member, North American Snowsports Journalists Association; Broward County Young Democrats' Trailblazer of the Year, 1994; Broward County Young Democrats' Young Democrat of the Year, 1996.